***** Vol.5 Chap.13 The crisis *****
Elijah paused and took a sip of his tea again.
“What task is that? I am just a lowly marine biologist with a dream to talk to dolphins!” Again, Kristin jumped the gun.
The rest were shaking their heads. Elijah looked at them and smiled.
Then he continued, “You all know the political instability of the different countries on earth today.”
“Of course.” Frank replied.
“There is a secret chemical laboratory in Glybiana under the direction of a violent group of terrorists who called themselves the Global Liberators.”
“Glybiana?” Kristin asked?
“Secret lab?” Frank raised his eyebrows.
“Unbelievable.” May-Ling questioned?
“Yes, a secret chemical laboratory in Glybiana.”
“How do you know this stuff?”
“We will come to that later. But let me finish first. The lab has been in existence for the past ten years and had been amply funded by a coalition of terrorist organizations around the world. The goal of the lab is to develop a chemical agent and a corresponding vaccine. Once the agent and the vaccine has been perfected and adequately stockpiled. All the governments of the earth will be blackmailed one by one into submission to the Global Liberators”
“Those mean bastards.” Kristin slammed her fist on the table. Strangely enough, she could not make a sound by her actions. She needed a new cliché to ‘pounding on the table’ from now on.
“The Lab is headed by Dr. Johan Schmidtiz, a disgruntled scientist who defected to Glybiana four years ago. He had been working on a new chemical formula, an enzyme that enhanced the aggressiveness of a person. He called this the red pill. When a subject swallowed the red pill, it released s host of synthesized protein molecules causing the subject to be extremely irritated and aggressive.”
“Are the effects permanent?” May-Ling asked.
“Fortunately, no, at the present time. Eventually, the protein got broken down by the body in a matter of hours or rarely days.”
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“Even a few hours of mad men running around would be scary enough.” Frank chimed in.
“The antidote is the blue pill which when swallowed, released synthesized protein molecules with calming effects.”
“Like drinking a cup of chamomile tea.”
“Yes,” replied Elijah.
“If the effects of the red pill will dissipate in a few hours, what is the crisis?” Kristin persisted in her questioning.
“First, imagine a whole village, a whole town in chaos for a few days?” May-Ling answered.
“Imagine personnel in charge of weaponry being put in such a state?” warned Frank.
“Exactly.” Elijah echoed.
“Bastards.” Kristin shouted.
“The people in the lab knew that the effects of the red pill will be diminished in a matter of hours. So, they are working on a strand of protein that are resistant to being broken down by the body. That is the crisis. They have almost perfected such an enzyme. This means that the enzyme will stay in the body causing the body to be in a heightened state of aggression for a long time.”
“Bastards.” Kristin shouted louder.
“Through my instruments, I have predicted that in three days’ time, their lab would have perfected such an enzyme called AG-85.”
“Are you saying that in a few months, the whole human population on earth will in in chaos?” It is May-Ling’s turn to ask the question.
“Perhaps in a year or so. The AG-85 enzyme will eventually filter into the water source of the earth so that not only the whole human population, but also all living animals will be affected. This will put the evolution clock on this planet back ten million years.”
“My dolphins! My dolphins! Are you sure about this?” Kristin asked.
“This is crazy, unthinkable.” Frank responded.
“Terrible, very terrible.” May-Ling added.
“Who is this Johann fellow? I will go and wring his neck out.” Kristin stood up in rage.
“I think I remember this fellow. He came to me earlier during the AAAS meeting and asked me specifically about the genome sequence related to violent behavior. Yes, I remember him now. He was very evasive when I asked him what he was working on.” Frank told the group.
“This is precisely the reason I have called you three to be here, not to what did you say… ‘wring his neck out,’ but to find a peaceful solution to this problem.”
Kristin shook her head and became fidgety.”
“You must find a way to neutralize the situation so that the human race may continue and all life on this earth to be saved. I am looking to you three to find a peaceful solution. The three of you already has a working relationship. I am merely here to facilitate what you three had started to do.”
Elijah replied. “My personal health has deteriorated to the point that there is no way I can carry out this rescue mission.” Elijah continued. “Besides, my understanding of science and technology is five thousand years old. All the modern science had way surpassed my understanding by centuries already.”
There was another deep sighing in his breath. Slowly he took another sip of his tea.
“It is time for me to end my watch as a cosmic guardian and to pass the torch to you.” He said slowly with sadness in his voice. “This is the reason that I sent the call for all of you to come.”
They heard what Elijah said, though they understood none of what he said.
“So, you expect us to come up with a solution in three days?” Kristin interrupted.
“I have full confidence in the three of you.”
The three looked at one another in awe though without understanding.